Sympathetic Strings
by rein hitomi
Summary: Drabbles based on the same set of prompts as 'And I feel'. Features Lindow/FemMC and Soma/FemMC, may contain spoilers for the game. (I set 'OC' instead of 'Protagonist', whoops.)
1. Harmonic Likeness

**Pairing:** Lindow Amamiya/OFC (K. Suzaku; codename: ZERO)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Gods Eater Burst. If I did, there would be an otome game of it by now.

**Summary:** Drabbles based on the same set of prompts as 'And I feel'. May contain spoilers for the game.

**Notes:** I always wanted to write something for this fandom. I miss this game.

Enjoy :)

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_Pain_

What pained her was not the fact that she, as new and current unit leader, had to defeat the Corrosive Black Hannibal at all costs; no, it was the fact that she had to defeat _Lindow_ that truly, wholly tore her –

_Laugh_

– but ZERO would do it anyway, would do _anything¸_ even so far as to do it by herself, if it meant hearing and _seeing_ Lindow _laugh_ again.

_Linen_

The first night after he returned, he was sent to the infirmary, and was put into isolation – no one was allowed to see him: no visitors, no friends, no one to hear him scream when his dreams began to be plagued by nightmares – so it came as a surprise when, instead of the sheets he was so desperately clutching like a lifeline, it was ZERO's hand Lindow was gripping tightly instead – and damn if he did not feel like crying then and there.

_Service_

"It's kinda funny; I thought that old church would miraculously have its broken bells toll for me back then," ZERO laughingly commented, to which Lindow reprimanded her with an unexpectedly intense glare as he growled out, "Do not joke about that _ever again_," and suddenly she understood why.

_Blades_

When he laid his hand on the hilt of his sword again, two very distinct sets of sensations passed through him and shot straight to his very core – one was the nostalgic sense of _familiarity_; the other an overwhelming, resonating _understanding_ that only someone crazy and brave and _beautiful_ enough to wield another's blade could strike within Lindow.

_Funeral_

"If you continue putting yourself out there like that and showing off during missions, you'd really die before knowing my full name, Lindow – I mean, is knowing that kind of information so important to you?"

_Okay_

"I know you like me, kiddo. It's great, y'know; it's actually kinda awesome that you like me, but…you know that I–", but he did not get to finish what he was saying, because she simply smiled (_and what a sad smile it was, _god), said, "I know; it's okay," in an uncharacteristically quiet voice, and then walked away.

_Sin_

_What a hypocrite_, Lindow thinks to himself, as he watches ZERO walk away while every fibre of his being screamed at him to make her stop, _don't walk away, please, you know what I mean, you know I'm lying_—but he gives a vicious shake of his head, and he makes a beeline to the door where his future, his constant, his resignation awaits, because—because what lies behind _that _door is someone he just cannot have—

—but he keeps on _wanting_, anyway.


	2. Fundamental Frequency

**Pairing:** Soma Schicksal/OFC (K. Suzaku; codename: ZERO)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own God Eaters Burst, sadly.

**Summary:** A drabble based on a set of prompts, which is the same as the previous chapter. May contain spoilers for the game.

**Notes:** So this one is parallel to the previous chapter, but in Soma's POV.

As always, enjoy!

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_Pain_

He is no stranger to pain (he's lost so many things, lost count of things he never had in the first place), and he has come to the point where he would not even _let_ himself feel it if he can help it, but as he watched his leader struggle as she tries to bring Lindow back, Soma thinks that this may be the first time he ever _ached_ so much.

_Laugh_

She looked positively alarmed at his reaction to her comment (_'so… you and Shio…?'_), and maybe his laugh _was_ too derisive and maybe it freaked the living daylights out of everyone in the Den who heard, but Soma did not care because _oh_, _if she only _knew.

_Linen_

"_C'mon_, you helped me change mine before, why can't I return the favour?" Lindow whined, making Alisa sigh as she watched Lindow try to bandage ZERO's wounds only to fail spectacularly; she was too caught up in the spectacle that she failed to notice when someone quietly slipped away to leave the room.

_Service_

No amount of god arc overhaul can convince Soma of ZERO's safety because – because she almost _died_ in front of him, and all he could think of and _see_ was Eric and Shio and blood and bodies and _his mother_ and he can't – he can't – 'please, _not you, too_.'

_Blades_

"You could have told us your fucking plan in the first place, instead you rush off on your own—" "—I did not rush off on my own—" "—it was _stupid_—" "—there was no other choice—!" "_Yes there was_, you could have _told_ us; you're our _leader_, for god's sake—" "—and what, you would have been fine with killing Lindow if you had to? I didn't want _any_ of you to—" "—so you just shoulder everybody else's burdens like a fucking moron? God, that's just what we need, another self-sacrificing moron for a leader—" "—whoops, look at that, cat's out of the bag, now do me a fucking favour and get the hell out of here, I should be resting—" "—resting? Please. Like you even know what that means. And don't change the subject; that's not what I meant—" "—then _what_ the hell are you trying to say—" "—I'm saying _you just wanted to save Lindow all by yourself!_" (_because you love him, don't you_) "…Yes. I do."

_Funeral_

The first time he heard her sing was the day she became leader of the First Unit – she excused herself to go to the Infirmary, and Sakuya insisted he check up on her; as he was about to open the door, he heard it (and it was unfamiliar, but there was something—), and suddenly he just can't find it in him to go inside (_'Yoru wo kakete iku, ima ha utanaide – tooku no akari no hou he…kakete iku…'_).

_Okay_

Their first mission together after things died down at the Far East Branch, what with Lindow's return and everything that followed, was, to put it lightly, _tense_—neither of them talked beyond orders and status reports; and the way back was not any different (if anything, it was probably worse)—neither said anything on the elevator ride, but both were thinking the same thing and they knew it: '_No, we're not okay_.'

_Sin_

It's wrong, what he is doing: eavesdropping on the man he respects and the woman he admires, and Soma knew it—but he just can't help himself, because the moment he heard those words, that conversation, there is no stopping the dizzying feeling of _hope_ that spreads throughout his whole body; that maybe, _maybe_ there is a chance for him after all; because Lindow had given up the opportunity, and Soma would be well and truly _damned_ if he surrenders his.


End file.
